Over the past 30 years retail giant Marks & Spencer have sold over 15 million iconic Colin the Caterpillar cakes. In fact, they are so good and kids love them so much, that we have bought one for each of my daughter’s birthdays for the past 10 years…
In 2019 Aldi launched “Cuthbert the Caterpillar” and now the two retailers are head-to-head in the High Court.
Having registered the “Colin the Caterpillar” trademark in 2008, M&S have now lodged an intellectual property claim stating Aldi’s similarity with its own Colin cake led consumers to believe they were of the same standard and “rides on the coat-tails” of M&S's reputation.
The outcome of “caterpillar wars” is still to be decided but one thing is sure, to-date, legal costs for both parties will doubtless run in to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
To trademark or not to trademark?
Whether you have a “Colin” or any other unique enterprise or product, have you ever wondered whether you should trademark your business name or logo but don’t really understand the benefits or process?
Or have you looked at trademarking and found it overwhelming and intimidating?
Applications for trademarks are increasing year on year – as are claims of trademark infringement – so as a business owner you need to be increasingly proactive protecting your intellectual property.
Failing to trademark your business can have damaging reputational, commercial and financial consequences.
By owning a registered trademark and protecting your brand – whether it be your business name, logo or strapline – you’ll be able to easily take action against anyone who uses the name, logo or strapline without your permission, deter others against using it by using the R symbol, and monetise it by selling or licensing your brand.
Free step by step guidance on applying for your trademark
If you’d rather not spend thousands of pounds on lawyer’s fees applying for your trademark, then join our free 5 day Trademark Implementation Sprint from Monday 17th – Friday, 21st January where multi award winning lawyer and former lawyer to Richard Branson, Suzanne Dibble will lead you through the process of applying for your trademark step-by-step.
You will get clarity on:
- whether your name, logo or strapline is capable of being trademarked
- what searches are required prior to applying for a trademark
- how to establish which classes to file your trademark in
- the exact steps to making an online application
Then on the final day we will have a wrap up session and Q&A session.
The live, one hour, sessions are held every day from Monday 17 to Friday 21 January via Zoom. There are no recordings, so you’ll need to join us live to benefit from this invaluable free guidance.
By the end of the Implementation Sprint, you’ll have your trademark application ready to go (or even submitted) and you’ll be well on your way to keeping your brand safe and secure.
Here’s what people say about Suzanne’s Sprints…
“You should do this Sprint. The legal insight was incredible, and I can't believe it was all for free. It was definitely time well spent. If you have any inkling of starting or growing a business, doing this Sprint is a no brainer.”
Anna Louise Cowgill
“You will be getting incredible free access to an ‘easy to follow' course and Sprint for essential legals needed for your business, led by the calm and inspirational Suzanne Dibble. It is genuinely given to you on a plate – a free plate! Even as a lawyer myself, this free course and Sprint gave me so much confidence and extra top tips; it was the best use of my time and I loved being a part of the community. A must-have for all small business owners.”
Lindsay Cressey
“If you're starting a service-based business or looking to improve an existing one, this is the event you need that will help you understand the legal frameworks you should have in place. Suzanne cuts right through the overwhelm by taking complex matters and presenting them in a manner that is easy to understand and implement straight away. Suzanne and her team serve from the heart and are just as committed to your success as you are.“
Caroline M Klos
The next step…
Simply register for the Implementation Sprint here and we’ll send you details on how to join the Trademark Implementation Sprint.
BONUS trainings and Facebook Group
Sign up as soon as possible for the Sprint, as we also have three bonus training videos for you that will be sent to you ahead of the Sprint. They will be emailed out on Tuesday 4 January, Thursday 6 January and Wednesday 12 January. There will also be accompanying beautiful workbooks to ensure you get the most out of the training videos.
These trainings will look at:
- the 5 vital checks you must carry out before choosing any name – whether you might want to trademark it or not
- the value of registering a trademark – why it is so important and why every business that is building a brand should have one.
- what you should actually be registering as a trademark – it might surprise you!
We will also be inviting you to our free Facebook group that accompanies the Sprint.
In this Facebook group we will be sharing details of the prizes you can win and Suzanne will be holding live Q&A sessions so that you can ask questions about the three bonus training videos.
Please share with your business pals
If you like the sound of these free trainings and Implementation Sprint and believe it will be beneficial for your community or your business pals, please do share this link and spread the word – the link is: //www.smallbusinesslegalacademy.com/implementation-sprint
DISCLAIMER: The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this note are for general guidance only and are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this note. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this note.
